Keanu Reeves films John Wick 2 in Rome

Keanu Reeves is shooting scenes for his action sequel John Wick 2 on location in Rome, having already filmed in New York.

The first film featured Reeves as an assassin seeking bloody revenge on the New York gang that killed his dog. Made for a modest $20m, the film’s relentless action scenes helped steer it to international box-office of just under $90m.

Italy has become a more popular international filming location since the government boosted the country’s filming incentives, and Rome has always been an iconic city to showcase for audiences.

A big-budget remake of Ben-Hur recently became the biggest international film in years to shoot entirely in Italy. The production was based at Cinecittà Studios near Rome, which offers 22 separate sound stages and a large water tank facility.

Other recent Hollywood productions in Rome have included Ben Stiller’s upcoming comedy sequel Zoolander 2 and James Bond movie Spectre, which used the city as the setting for a dramatic car chase.